Centaurus -- my friend -- once again, your observations go way beyond the observable.
I, too, have wondered if all the "rote" briefings would even be remembered (let alone followed) by many who utter them out of habit rather than intention. I guess that with today's reliability with the mechanical functions of almost everything, from engines to avionics, pilots may have an advantage in that the "odds" are with them, rather than against them. I think that when you and I were still trying to figure out which way to turn to keep the tail of the needle where it was supposed to be and the reliability of systems weren't all that great, we learned that when we briefed something, we were mentally and verbally describing what it was that we were going to do. And, unfortunately, there were enough times that the reliability of those systems allowed us to "test" whether or not we really were going to do what we briefed.
I still enjoy our exchanges here, and I always look forward to your very experienced voice of reason and expertise. When the time comes that I cease to learn from others (regardless of their background, their opinion, or their talent) is the time that I should get out of the cockpit and relegate myself to one of the lesser forms of self flagellation. But selfishly, I hope that day doesn't come too quickly -- as I dearly love this business!
Best Regards,
AirRabbit